Brad Hogg picks his Test XI of 2019; four Indians feature in the squad

As the year 2019 comes to a close, many people are reminiscing what happened in the world of cricket. The England team won their maiden ODI World Cup crown, the Indian team continued their reign as the no.1 Test team and Australia went back to being the dominating cricket team of the old. The year also saw South African cricket in shambles, and cricket returning to Pakistan after a decade.

2019 also saw many players coming into their own in red-ball cricket and aided their team in winning matches. The Ashes 2019 saw returns of David Warner and Steve Smith in the Australia team after 12 months of the ban, while Bumrah and co rocked West Indies in their own backyard. Indian fast bowlers ruled the roost at home, while Ben Stokes made this year, “Stokes’ 2019”. This is why former Australia spinner Brad Hogg decided to reveal his Test XI for the year.

Brad Hogg’s Best Test XI of the year 2019

The jovial left-arm chinaman bowler who is the epitome of unending enthusiasm and antics on the field, Brad Hogg has played cricket well into his 40s and has performed admirably as well. Now moving into a role in media and commentary, Hogg, who played 145 international matches for Australia since his debut in 1996, released his Best Test XI for the year 2019 on his YouTube channel.

He picked Indian opening duo of Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma at the top. The duo struck double tons at home, with Rohit, in his first gig as an opener in Tests, impressed one and all, hitting two centuries in a Test and has been on a roll in the format, while young Mayank has impressed everyone with his ability to merge attack and defence in his game.

“He made a fifty against Australia at the start of the year in Sydney and then he made a couple of hundreds in the middle of the year one of them a double against South Africa. Rohit Sharma, he’s made three hundreds in six innings one of them a double hundred against South Africa as well so he’s in at number two,” Hogg said in his video.

Hogg picked Labuschagne and Smith to go with Kohli in the middle order thanks to the trio’s performances in the Ashes and at home respectively. Hogg said Ben Stokes with his two hundred against Australia in Ashes and his ability to come in and pick wickets made him an automatic choice. BJ Watling’s double ton against England and the century against Sri Lanka put him as the best keeper in the year.

Starc, according to Hogg, found his mojo back and partnering him will be Ishant Sharm of India, the first Indian to pick a fifer in day-night Test. Neil Wagner of New Zealand and Nathan Lyon of Australia round off Hogg’s Test XI of 2019.

Brad Hogg’s Test XI:

Mayank Agarwal (IND), Rohit Sharma (IND), Marnus Labuschagne (AUS), Steve Smith (AUS), Virat Kohli (IND), Ben Stokes (ENG), BJ Watling (NZ), Mitchell Starc (AUS), Ishant Sharma (IND), Neil Wagner (NZ), Nathan Lyon (AUS)